The Vasai crime branch has made a significant arrest in the tragic Virar building collapse case, apprehending a senior civic official for alleged negligence. Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Gilson Gonsalves of the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) was taken into custody late on Thursday night after extensive questioning.
Arrest and Court Proceedings
Sources indicate that Gonsalves was summoned for interrogation by Crime Branch Unit-3 on Thursday evening. The questioning continued into the night, culminating in his formal arrest around midnight. He has been officially booked under charges of criminal negligence.
The arrested official was promptly presented before the Vasai court on Friday. The court, after hearing the arguments, has remanded Gilson Gonsalves to five days of police custody. This will allow investigators to conduct a thorough interrogation regarding his role and knowledge of the illegal construction.
Core Allegations and Previous Arrests
Investigators allege that Gonsalves, along with another accused AMC named Subhash Jadhav, was aware that the Ramabai Apartment in Virar (East) was an illegal structure. Despite this knowledge, they failed to take any corrective action or file a First Information Report (FIR) under the relevant Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966.
A shocking revelation from the crime branch probe is that VVCMC officials provided a water connection to the building and even collected property taxes. This was done despite clear awareness that the land owners and the developer, Nittal Sane, lacked any legal documents for the construction.
The police had initially filed an FIR under the MRTP Act following the collapse and arrested the developer, Nittal Sane, in August. Sane remains in judicial custody. Subsequently, the two daughters of the landowner and their spouses were also arrested but later released on bail. The investigation was transferred to the crime branch within days of the case being registered.
Scale of the Tragedy and Wider Probe
The collapse of the illegal Ramabai Apartment occurred in the dead of night on August 27, resulting in a devastating loss of life and injury. The incident claimed 17 lives and left 19 others injured. The tragedy garnered national attention, with even the President of India commenting on it via social media platform X.
The police investigation has now expanded beyond local negligence. Commissioner of Police Niket Kaushik recently stated that they have written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department. The letters inform these agencies about potential financial fraud, including possible violations in the sale and purchase of flats and undisclosed income or assets.
"We have also informed about the possible non-disclosure of the income and assets so that the trail of proceeds of crime can be traced," Kaushik had said, indicating a multi-agency probe into the financial underpinnings of the illegal construction.
